Ventilating apparatus



July 9, 1940.A D. H. KING VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed July 30, 1937 INVENTOB Hanr ifi@ -agg/af ATTORNEYS Patented July 9, 1940 VENTILATING APPARATUS Douglas Hcbbis King, Maplewood, N. J.

Application `luly 30, 1937, Serial No. 156,455

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved Ventilating apparatus, and

in its broader aspects aims to provide an ap-paratus which may be associated with virtually any type of exhaust passage to assist in the discharge therefrom of fluid of any desired character.

It is an object of the invention to furnish an apparatus of the type indicated and which may be .associated with a given installation so that the normal discharge from a duct passage or opening will be increased to a material extent.

A further object is that of providing an apparatus of this type which will embrace substantially no moving or power driven parts. As a consequence there will be no cost of maintenance in connection with this apparatus and when once installed, it will function for practically indefinite periods without any need of replacement or repair.

While as afore brought out the present invention may be employed in association with virtually any type of fluid, it is primarily intended to utilize the same in Ventilating apparatus wherein air, smoke, noxious gases, or similar iiuids are to be discharged into the atmosphere or into an air stream. y

While not limitedexcept Where hereinafter indicatedin the claims-the present invention aims to provide, for one of its most preferred and specific aspects, a roof ventilator which may be of the rridge type. In installations of this character, as heretofore provided, itis well understood by those skilled in the art that While a considerable discharge of air was effected, such discharge incertain instances did not reach the desired volume. This is because the Wind currents sweeping across the ventilator have, due to peculiarness of design, set up back pressures and eddy currents which have materially impaired the operation of the ventilator.

By means of the present invention these down drafts, pockets, objectionable currents, and other factors contributing to the improper functioning of the ventilators are virtually eliminated. Accordingly, by a readily installed and economical construction the discharge vent or opening has exhausted through it a maximum amount of fluid so that in many instances it is even feasible to dispense with a power discharge apparatus (such as blowers and fans) by simply substituting therefor a structure provided in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings i1- lustrating practical embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary'perspective View of a ventilator such as would be employed in connection with buildings;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view thereof taken along the lines 2 2 and in the direction of the rrows of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 and in the direction of the arrows 10i of Fig. 2.

Referring primarily to Figs. 1 to 3 where there has been shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral I2 indicates'the faces of la roof which, as illustrated, may be inclined upwardly to normally provide a ridge. A gap or slot is furnished between the upper edges of portions I2 and this may be defined by an upwardly extending ange portion I3. At points short 0i the flange portion further side walls I4 may be provided, these side walls being furnished with openings I5 adjacent their lower edges. Between the side walls I4 vand at points adjacent their upper edges a panel I5 may be disposed. If this panel is to be immovably mounted, it may I be supported by brackets I'I extending from the ,inner faces of side walls Ill. In the case of such type of' mounting, it is preferred that a damper panel IS be nested within panel I6, such damper panel being conveniently mounted upon links IS having their outer ends pivotally secured to the under face of panel lil, their inner ends being coupled to rotatably mounted shafts 20. A mechanism such as an actuating cord or chain 2! may be attached to panel I3 and serve to move the same from a position at which it lies in intimate contact with the upper edges of flange I3 and seals the opening defined thereby to a position such as has been shown in Figs. l and 2.

The end walls 22 which are preferably provided are conveniently extended above the upper edges of walls I4. These end walls may serve as a mounting for air foils 23. These air foils may define any proper, welll known, and convenient section, preferably having the greatest lift characteristics, and they are mounted in inverted fashion with their leading edges conveniently `projected Well beyond the outer faces of walls I4 and their trailing edges disposed above panel I6 and substantially spaced from each other.

With the structure heretofore identified under numbers II to 23 inclusive, mounted upon the upper face` of an enclosure to be'ventilated, it follows that if damper panel I8 is in the position shown, the action of heat will cause the airI to exhaust between walls Il, the space defined by flange I3, and through spaces existing between walls I4 and panel i6. Such exhausting of the air would, in itself, be appreciable. However, incident to the provision of the inverted air foils it follows that with any air fiow in either direction transverse to Fig. 3, the suction effect will be materially accelerated. The suction eiect just mentioned is the result of a current of air striking the leading edge of the air foil and passing across the convex surface, which results in an increase in Velocity in air flow, with an accompanying decrease in pressure. The surrounding air at atmospheric pressure naturally moves to the area of reduced pressure, and in the present instance that air movement occurs from within the building ridge where air normally ascending, due to heat, is at atmospheric, or subt stantially atmospheric, pressure. While, of course, panel strips of a conguration different from that indicated at lli` might be` employed, it has been found that a plane surface located immediately below or substantially in the plane of the upper edges of walls I4 and in the particular relationship illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, appears to create a maximum effect.

Finally, ,with reference to Figs. l to 3, it is to be noted that merely one type of roof ventilator has been shown, but that numerous other types of ventilators might be provided with structures designed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. In any event, however, it is preferred that similar to the disclosure in U. S. patents to McDerment, 2,072,461 and 2,079,576, as weil as the disclosure of Dexter Patents 1,611,-

695 and 1,917,218, an opening or slot be fur-k left, in that the air foils will not functionally conflict and will cooperate to a maximum extent to assure a 'major discharge of fluid to be exhausted. In one satisfactory embodiment, as shown, the leading edge of the air foil extends at least slightly in advance of the opening with which it is to cooperate, while its trailing edge extends slightly beyond the rear of the same. This proportioning of the parts also gives adequate protection against the ready entry of rain or snow during inclement weather.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, among others, the several objects of the inven tion, as afcre noted, are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrange-A ments of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An apparatus of the character described including, in combination, a pair of spaced side walls adapted for mounting adjacent a roof opening, a substantially horizontal panelinterposed between and below the top of said side walls and spaced from the inner faces thereof, and a pair of air foils mounted beyond the top of said side walls and overlying the spaces between said side wails and the adjacent edges of said panel.

2. An apparatus of the character described including, in combination, a pair of spaced side walls adapted for mounting adjacent a roof opening, a substantial horizontal panel presenting a substantially fiat outer surface interposed between and below l,the top of said side walls and spaced from the inner faces thereof, and a .pair

of air foils mounted beyond the top of said sideY walls and overlying the spacesv between said sideY walls and the adjacent edges of said panel.

3. An apparatus of the character described including, in combination, a pair of spaced side walls adaptedfor mounting adjacent a roof opening, a substantially horizontal panel presenting a substantially fiat outer surface interposed between and below the top of said side walls and,

spaced from the inner faces thereof, and a pair of air foils mounted beyondqthe top of said side walls and overlying the spaces between said side walls and the adjacent edges of said panel, the

outer face of said panel being disposed inwardly,

of the plane into which .the outer edges of said side walls extend.

4. An apparatus of the character described in-` cluding, in combination, a 4pair of spaced'side walls adapted for mounting adjacent a roof opening, a substantially horizontal panel interposed between and below the top of said side walls and.

spaced from the inner faces thereof, a pair of air foils mounted beyond the top of said side walls and overlying the spaces between said side walls` and the adjacent edges of said panel, and a damper panel disposed inwardly ofsaid first named panel to substantially vseal the opening between said side walls when in closed position.

DOUGLAS HOBBIVS KING. 

